SAN DIEGO — Mason Miller’s command was anything but easy Tuesday night.
Both at the plate, and at first base.
With the Dodgers and Padres tied in the ninth inning at Petco Park, the star closer from San Diego rallied to hit his first home run of the season.
First, he missed on a perfect slide to Max Muncy, and a called third strike turned into a walk on Muncy’s ABS challenge.
Then, with Alex Call on the play to pressure Muncy at first, Miller caught Call breaking on the bag — and just hit the grounder on his pickoff attempt.
Instead of ending the Dodgers’ threat, Miller’s throw was too hard and too wide. It deflected off the outstretched glove of first baseman Ty France. It scrambled up the right field line as Call turned on the jets and raced safely to third.
In the Dodgers’ eventual 5-4 victory, Andy Pages would bring Call home on a sacrifice fly at the end of a historic nine-run game.
It was not the best time for events. But the Dodgers didn’t care.
Instead, this key series of early season rivals is now tied at one game apiece. For the first time this year, Miller failed to keep the Padres’ lead or score tied.
The ninth inning hit marked only the third run he allowed all season.
For a Dodger team that has struggled to take advantage of the situation, it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Even after Miller’s error, the victory still required some heroics from the Pages, who fell into an 0-2 hole against Miller before battling 100 mph fastballs and two more sliders on the edge of the strike zone. Finally, on pitch No. 9, he hit a line drive to right field that was deep enough for Call to hit a passed play at the plate; the toe hits the bowl one second before the tag arrives.
What does it mean
The Dodgers are back in first place for now, regaining the NL West lead they surrendered after being shut out on Monday night.
They also scheduled a rubber-match series on Wednesday, when Shohei Ohtani will take the mound.
Tuesday was the first time in Miller’s career that he lost a decision. In the bottom of the ninth, Dodgers reliever Will Klein also got his first save, called after the Dodgers used their top options — Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott — earlier in the night.
Who is hot
Freddie Freeman hasn’t been around lately, either with his throwing or his health.
Not only did the first baseman enter Tuesday going 0 for 16, but manager Dave Roberts said he’s been under the weather lately, too, looking “a little tired” while trying to step up to the plate.
On Tuesday, it happened, when Freeman came off of a two-run home run that put the Dodgers in the game early, marking the 23rd multi-homer game of his career.
His first was a cross-field drive that just cleared the short wall in left field for two runs in the first. Next up was a powerful shot, tying the game 4-4 in the sixth with a solo blast to right.
Not only did the two long balls help end a power drought for Freeman — who had just one home run in his past 35 games — but it was his first multi-hit game since April 6.
Who is not
Emmet Sheehan became the first Dodger pitcher to be tasked with throwing on only four days’ rest this year.
In a four-inning, four-run game that ended in a struggle after only 67 pitches, it didn’t go well.
After Freeman’s blast gave the Dodgers the lead, Sheehan quickly blew it when Manny Machado took him deep with a two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning. Sheehan gave up another two-run homer in the third to Miguel Andujar, marking the fourth time in nine outings this year that he has failed to hold an opponent to less than three runs.
It would have been worse, having a fly ball from Ty France in the fourth not bounce over the wall for a double; holding off runner Jackson Merrill in third place.
Sheehan’s ERA is now 4.93, as his search for consistency this year continues.
Next
Shohei Ohtani (3-2, 0.82 ERA) will return to two-way duties on Wednesday, to hit and ride when the Dodgers face right-hander Randy Vásquez (5-1, 2.68 ERA) in the final series.
